Han Ke: “Are you going?”
Han Shen: “Yeah. I want to see what Lou Mingshen is up to.”
“Yueyue might not agree. Our little girl is a very busy person.”
The moment Jiang Fuyue was mentioned, Han Shen couldn’t stop smiling.
Three CNS papers, ranked first among the Top Ten Outstanding College Students… Back then, when she chose the no-name “wild chicken” university, Ming University, the outside world mocked and doubted her. And now? The sound of faces being slapped is louder than ever!
As the old saying goes: gold will shine anywhere.
But their little girl didn’t just shine herself, she made the entire place shine with her. She even turned the “pitch-black coal” around her into diamonds under pressure.
She wasn’t just excellent, she made her environment better, and she helped the people around her rise with her.
That was her unique charm.
“Hey, did you notice? The old man has been sighing less and less lately. Before, whenever he looked at Mom’s photo, he’d lock himself up in the study for a whole day. But this afternoon I saw him take out all of Mom’s old belongings to sort through them, and he was even smiling.”
Han Shen: “Because Yueyue called him at noon and told him about the Top Ten award. Didn’t you see his Moments post?”
Han Ke: “How could I not? He posted the same thing three times in a row! My whole screen was full of it, impossible to miss!”
“Anyway, it depends on whether Yueyue wants to go. If she wants to, she goes. If not, then forget it.”
“Okay, I’ll call her tomorrow.”
“Don’t call. The old man had the kitchen make soup. You take it to her tomorrow.”
Han Ke nodded: “Alright, I’ll ask her in person.”
“Mm.”
…
At Ming University, Dorm Building A, Room 4–3.
Jiang Fuyue read for a while and prepared to sleep.
After finishing her skincare routine, Cen Qiaoqiao suddenly remembered something. “Oh, sisters, I’m taking leave next Monday. So after I go home this weekend, I won’t be coming back on Monday.”
“Monday?” Huo Fanjin’s expression looked strange. “You too?”
Cen Qiaoqiao tilted her head. “Too? Who else?”
“I am.” Huo Fanjin paused her video. “Why are you taking leave?”
Cen Qiaoqiao: “Apparently there’s some kind of banquet. My family wants me to go.”
“Heh, what a coincidence. My family wants me to attend some cocktail party too.”
“Hehehe…” Cen Qiaoqiao giggled. “Maybe we’re going to the same one?”
“No way it’s that coincidental. I don’t even know whose banquet it is. I’m just going to show my face and leave.” Huo Fanjin shrugged.
Cen Qiaoqiao immediately went over and shook her hand. “Kindred spirit!”
Just then, a phone rang.
“Whose?”
“Not mine.”
“Not mine either.”
Across the room, Jiang Fuyue was already lying in bed. Eyes still closed, she swiped to pick up the call. Her voice was low, a little raspy from being woken up: “Hello…”
“It’s me. Niu Rui.”
Jiang Fuyue’s eyes snapped open. Usually it was her calling Niu Rui. Him calling her was rare.
But precisely because it was rare, something urgent must have happened.
“Go ahead. I’m listening.”
Niu Rui: “The old woman you asked me to keep an eye on… she returned to the capital.”
Jiang Fuyue’s gaze turned ice-cold. “When?”
Her voice chilled instantly.
Even over the phone, Niu Rui felt the sudden atmospheric pressure drop. “Two days ago.”
“Alright. I got it. Keep watching. Call me with updates.”
…
The next day, under the old man’s repeated instructions, Han Ke carried the insulated soup container into the car.
“Remember, make sure Yueyue drinks it while it’s hot. Watch her with your own eyes. Best if you take a couple photos for me.”
Han Ke: “I know, I know.” The N-th time hearing it!
The old man was getting more and more naggy, his little mustache twitching, his mouth chattering away!
At the school gate, Han Ke had the driver pull straight in.
Jiang Fuyue had received a WeChat from the old man the night before, telling her that her second uncle would bring soup today.
And of course, it wasn’t just soup.
There were also her favorite dishes.
“It’s hot, right?”
“Mm.” Jiang Fuyue nodded.
“How is it?”
“Tastes great.”
“Oh, and…” Han Ke suddenly pulled out his phone and snapped several photos of her.
“?”
Han Ke clenched his fist awkwardly. “Ahem… The old man told me to. He wants me to supervise you eating properly.”
Jiang Fuyue: “…”
In the end, she really couldn’t eat anymore. Half a thermos of soup and three ribs remained, which she handed off to Han Ke to finish.
While eating, he muttered, “If the old man knew about this, he’d kill me.”
“He won’t.”
“How not? In his eyes, me, the eldest, and the third, we’re basically children he picked up from the roadside.”
Jiang Fuyue: “He wouldn’t kill you. At most, he’d break your legs.”
Han Ke: “…”
As he was packing up the containers, he suddenly said, “Oh right, Yueyue, there’s a banquet on Monday. They invited you too. Do you want to go?”
“Monday?” Jiang Fuyue raised a brow.
“Yeah.”
“Whose?”
“The Lou family.”
Her eyes flickered.
Han Ke: “If you don’t want to go, then forget it. Our relationship with the Lou family is normal. not close enough that you MUST go. If you want to, go. If not, don’t force yourse—”
“Sure!”
“…Huh?”
“Mm.” Jiang Fuyue nodded. “Since they invited me, I’ll take a look.”
She smiled slightly, her tone lifting at the end.
For some reason, Han Ke suddenly felt a cold chill at the back of his neck.
He turned to look out the window, bare branches swayed in the wind.
Ah.
So it was windy.
…
Monday evening.
Cold winds swept past the Lou family villa, but could not disperse the heat inside.
Elegant music flowed. Red wine swirled in glasses.
Political elites, business giants, the distinguished and wealthy, gathered under one roof.
“No surprise, it’s the Lou family. Once the number-one wealthy clan. Even though they declined after that person died, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. Just one banquet and look at this lineup.”
“Yeah, even Director Zhang and Deputy Liu came.”
“You’re exaggerating. A centipede may die but never stiffens. Yes, but it’s still dead. Rotting is only a matter of time.”
“Maybe Lou Mingshen can revive the clan?”
“Impossible! Unless Lou Mingyue comes back to life, the Lou family will never return to its peak.”
“Heh… return to their peak? Easier said than done. The Xie family is dominant now. The Lou family started declining twenty years ago when they lost their backbone.”
“There will never be another Lou Mingyue…”
“Hey, did you notice that every family brought their daughters today?”
“Yeah! Some brought five or six. What are they planning?”
“Who knows? The invitation mentioned it, so of course no one could refuse and lose face with the Lou family.”
“Clicking my tongue… What is President Lou planning?”
“Don’t tell me… he’s picking a bride?”
Everyone burst into laughter.
“I have to say though, this sea of beauties competing for attention is quite the sight.”
“That one, is she Miss Wu? What a figure!”
“Miss He looks great too, tall, slim, tiny waist, long legs, a real beauty.”
“If we’re talking about looks, the newly acknowledged daughter of the Han family has the most unique charm. Her eyes, cool and clear, make your heart shiver, but you can’t help wanting to get closer. That temperament… unbelievable!”
“Seriously? That exaggerated?”
“If you don’t believe me, ask them. They were at the Han family’s birthday banquet too.”
“It’s true. Whether it’s her looks or her temperament, there’s no one else in our circle as stunning as her.”
“No wonder that old fossil Han Qishan keeps posting on his Moments, turns out he lucked out with such a granddaughter. Talented, beautiful, outstanding in every way.”
“He must be over the moon!”
“Is she here today?”
“Probably not yet.”
“Then I have to take a good look later, open my eyes a bit.”
….
Cen Qiaoqiao was hiding in a corner eating a mini cake. Honestly, it tasted pretty good.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another girl in an evening gown sneaking over. Who knew which family’s young lady she was from but that didn’t matter. They were all the same type here!
So she decided to greet her first: “Hi, I’m Cen— Uh! Little Jinjin?! Why is it you?!”
Huo Fanjin jumped in shock. “Qiaoqiao?”
The two stared at each other for a full five seconds.
Cen Qiaoqiao: “When you said you were going to a banquet, did you mean this banquet?”
Huo Fanjin smacked her lips. Alright, looks like coincidences do happen.
And then—
The two squeezed together in the corner and happily kept eating.
Until—
“Look! The Han family is here!”
“Hiss—Jiang Fuyue is here too, she’s gorgeous…”
She wore a classic black tweed-style dress, the hem just brushing her knees, revealing slender, snow-white legs.
Thin straps rested on her shoulders, highlighting her delicate collarbones.
Her skin was as pale as snow, faintly glowing like porcelain.
They say true beauty is in the bones, not the skin. Jiang Fuyue had both exquisite features and exquisite bone structure.
As she walked in, she stunned everyone.
“That’s the granddaughter Old Han just acknowledged? She’s even more beautiful than Madam Han back in the day and even more than President Shi is now!”
“Seems those rumors aren’t all nonsense. This one looks pretty real.”
“Well? Isn’t her presence extraordinary?”
“She really is beautiful, worthy of the reputation.”
“Wipe your drool, man.”
“I heard she’s super smart too. Three CNS papers in a row recently. Incredible!”
“Our circle has never produced any scientists or researchers before, guess she’s the first.”
Voices overlapped endlessly.
Jiang Fuyue held onto Grandpa Han’s arm, eyes forward, not looking sideways. Even Han Shen and Han Ke had to move aside for her.
Han Heng was off filming for over a month, so he wasn’t here tonight.
From their corner, Cen Qiaoqiao and Huo Fanjin heard the familiar name and instinctively looked over.
“S-Sister Yue?”
“She’s here too?”
Meanwhile, across the room, Mo Shiran who had been whispering with her girlfriends also noticed her.
The lights fell on Jiang Fuyue, as dazzling and radiant as the day she stood on the award stage.
Others might have more expensive dresses, or more elaborate makeup.
But on her, everything, no matter how simple, looked perfect.
Mo Shiran’s gaze dimmed, her lips tightening.
Her girlfriends, however, could not hide their excitement. Expression management? Gone. Some stared wide-eyed, some squealed, some covered their mouths, some didn’t even know what to do with their hands—
“I finally get to see Sister Yue in person!”
“She’s ten thousand times prettier than in photos and posters!”
“Last week before my dance exam, I watched her video again and I passed smoothly. She’s magical!”
“Aaaaah! I’m a Yue-fan. Seeing my goddess in person, I’m gonna cry, she’s literally glowing.”
“Oh my god, I want to rush over and get her autograph!”
“Is my dress messy? What about my hair? Check for me!”
“You check mine too!”
“…”
“Shiran? What about you?”
“…What?”
“We’re going to ask Sister Yue for an autograph. Wanna come?”
“Uh, I’ll pass,” she waved. “You guys go.”
“Don’t be shy! If you miss this chance, there might not be another! It’s such a great opportunity—”
“Not that,” Mo Shiran was pulled two steps forward by a friend, and she quickly grabbed her skirt to steady herself, irritation flashing in her eyes. “If you want her autograph, go yourselves. Why drag me? Does everyone HAVE to be Jiang Fuyue’s fan?!”
Her girlfriends froze.
Then—
Girl A pouted: “If you don’t want to go, then don’t. Why snap at us? Ever heard of talking nicely?”
Girl B rolled her eyes: “We were being kind. You don’t have to act like that.”
Girl C sighed: “We shouldn’t have meddled.”
Girl D clicked her tongue: “There really are girls who dislike Sister Yue. I’ve observed, there are only two kinds.”
“Which two?”
“One: girls obsessed with ‘female competition.’ They compare everything, yet lose every comparison, so they hate out of jealousy. Two: internalized misogynists, women who can’t stand other women surpassing men, so they smear successful women to defend male superiority.”
“Mo Shiran, which one are you?”
Mo Shiran staggered back two steps.
Which one are you?
Which one?
Her face went pale. She opened her mouth, only to find she had no way to refute it.
“Forget it. Sister Yue says women should show more understanding and kindness to each other. Let’s not make her difficult. Let’s go get autographs.”
“We’re not making her difficult. We didn’t lay a hand on her, we just talked.”
“Anyway, let’s go!”
A group of girls left together, chatting, laughing, excitedly heading toward the “shining figure.”
Mo Shiran remained standing there, silent for a long, long time, long enough for one sentence to echo in her ears over and over:
Sister Yue said women should understand and be kind to each other.
…
Night fell. At exactly seven, everyone gathered in the villa’s main hall.
Warm light spilled from the crystal chandelier, music flowed softly.
“Why isn’t President Lou here yet?”
“Yeah, we’ve been here forever, and not a single actual Lou family member has shown up. Only servants serving food.”
“To be fair, there aren’t many Lou family members left.”
“True. One died twenty years ago, Lou Mingxin is in prison, and Lou Mingshen is alone.”
“So there’s really no one else in the Lou family?!”
“Strictly speaking… there is one more.”
“Who?”
“The Lou family’s old madam, she—”
Just then, footsteps sounded from the second floor.
Everyone stopped talking and looked up.
Atop the marble staircase, someone slowly descended.
A navy-blue qipao embroidered with large blooming peonies. The frog buttons were neatly fastened, lying smoothly along the right side of her collar.
Head held high, posture straight, her chin lifted, gaze steady, she instantly embodied the words “dignified” and “solemn.”
Her silver-white hair was meticulously pinned up, exuding a restrained elegance.
The wrinkles on her face were traces left by time, robbing beauty, yet adding charm.
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